Method of surfacing floors and the like



Nov. 7, 1944. H. H. TALBOYS METHOD OF SURFACING FLOORS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q9550 r22 eylsf Nov. 7, 1944. H. H. TALBOYS 2,362,417v

METHOD OF SURFACING FLOORS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 QQN Nov. 7, 1944. H. H. TALBOYS METHOD OF SURFACIiIG FLOORS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 imu'liumm fizz'eiazar 12 74 2/2 M M Jzzar ze a 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 I very f0?" wir /flaw 4? m Nov. 7, 1944. H. H. TALBOYS METHOD OF S URFACING FLOORS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 J72 yewzar If Ta/fiays Nov. 7, 1944.

METHOD OF SURFACING FLOORS AND THE LIKE H. H. TALBOYS 2,362,417

Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 7 l I 129 28 w w Nov. 7, 1944. H. H. TALBOYS 2,362,417

' METHOD OF SURFACING' FLOORS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 8Sheets-Sheet 8 728 w w/W as w /.90/ I30 may 20.;

200 J7? V/7f07' fzfiryfljzdaya Patented Nov. 7, 1944 ME'rnon E SURFACFNG FLOORS AND THE LIKE Henry H. Talboys, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Nordberg'Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Original application August 2,1940, SerialNo. 349,799. Divided and this application September 15, 1941, Serial No.,410,877

2- Claims. (61.144-309) My invention relates to an improvement in method of surfacing or re-surfacing' floors or surfaces of wood or the like. It is particularly adaptable to re-surfacing freight car floors, but maybe appliedto any floor or surface of wood or the like, for example boat decks.-

I One purpose is the provision of a method for re-surfacing .fioors where the surface 'of' the boards is-worn or uneven, or where material has adhered to orpenetrated thesurface which is likely to be damaging to'goods thereafter stored or carried upon the floor."

Another purpose isthe provision of a method for-re surfacing freight car floors which is effective to restore unusable floors to usability, and thereby to prevent the necessity of reconstructing or rebuilding freightcar floors. 7 Another purpose is the provision of a method for evening ofi boards in floors, for example where the boards of which the floor ismade have depressions or--unevennesses' in them or-parts which project above the normal surface of the rest of the floor.

Another purpose is the provision of a method for finishing the floor of a, restricted space which includes employing the walls, of the space as a guide for a cutting means and successively imparting to said cuttingmeans, at'difierent posi'- tions in relation'to the side walls of the space, a rectilinear movement along said space whereby said space is finallyireduced to a desired level.

Another purpose i the-provision of a method for re-finishing floors, for example in'freight cars, which includes temporarily removingsecuring means, bolts and the like, without'removing the flooring, and re-surfacing the flooring.

Another purpose is the provision of a method for surfacing floorsand the like which includes first surfacing or reducing atrack orsupporting area for the support and movement' of cutting means, and thereafter reducing intermediate and adjacent partsof the flooring to a desired level. Other purposes willappear from time to time in the course of the specificationsand claims.

The present invention is adivision of my copending application Serial No. 349,799, filed in the United States Patent Office on August 2,

1940, and issued as Patent No. 2,320,161, on May I illustrate means for practicing my invention; more or less diagrammatically, inthe' accom panying'drawings wherein: I

Fig. l is aplan-view-ofthe-device imposition within a freight car, with part. of the upper frame structure omitted and parts in section;-

Fig. 2 is. a section on "the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a'perspective side view ofthe struc burg; v

Fig. 4 is a section on-an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower structure or base -frame, lwithparts .of the upper structure broken away;. y N

Fig. 6 is a section onan enlarged scale on the line E6 of Fig. 2; V g

I Fig. 7 is a detailed partial plan view illustrating the locking mechanism for the, structure I showninFig. 6; I 1.

Fig.8 is a section on theline 88 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a section on the 1i1'1e'9--9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 isa section on the line. in -l0 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 'is avertical transverse section through I matically illustrating its movement in relation Fig. 14 isfa partial horizontal section illus-- trating themode-of finishing-car corners;.

Fig. 15 isa partial-horizontal sectionthrough the car illustrating-.-the finishing of the door sp e;" p

Fig. 16 is a side "elevation, with partsin section, illustrating theoperation of the cutter on Fig. 17 is a plan view illustrating one type of floor unevenness which hasto be coped with; andv Fig. 18 is'a section on the line l8- l8 of Fig. 1'7,

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings;-

Referringto'thedrawings, the mechanism as a 'whole may be subdivided into the followin general subdivisions I a Referring, for example, toFig. 3, A generally indicates a base frame structure,- which includes longitudinally extending side frame members or channels I, which may be connected'by any. suitable means; such as transversely extending angle members '2. At each end of the structure so formed are outwardly extending brackets 3, which may also be formed of angle irons, the Whole frame member being unitarily secured togethenfor example, by-vvelding.v The brackets. 3 mayoarry any suitable bearing members 4 at each side thereof; in which are mounted axles 5 at each end of which are supporting rollers or wheelsli.

One of the shafts 5, as shown in Fig. 5, carries a sprocket wheel I, about which passes a drive chain 8, which in turn passes about another sprocket wheel 9 on a shaft H), which is driven by a gear reduction H, which in turn is driven by any suitable motor l2. A friction clutch I3, normally held in position by a spring |4a, serves as a safety release, effective when the frame reaches one or another end of the The sprocket wheel I is normally rotatcar. able in relation to the shaft 5, but may be held against rotation therewith by any suitable clutch mechanism, including the clutch element l4, adapted to engage with a corresponding clutch element l5, moveable with the sprocket I. 6 is a clutch actuating lever, which may be actuated in any suitable manner, under control of the operator, so that the operator may clutch or de-clutch the device as he wishes.

At the opposite end of the shaft 5 is a sprocket l1, about which passes a drive chain l8, which in turn passes beneath guide rollers i9 and to a sprocket 20 on the opposite shaft, which is in dicated in Fig. 5 as 5a. Thus the motor I2 is effective to drive the shaft 5, and, through the shaft 5, to drive also the shaft 5a, whereby all of the supporting and conveying wheels 6 are driven.

In order to support the shafts 5 and Ed, I may provide intermediate brackets 2|, which are shown as notched at the ends and serve as intermediate supportingmeans for the elongated shaft.

In order to assist in moving the base frame A into and out of the car, for example through a car door, I provide supplemental supporting wheels 22, one on each side, which are pivoted on brackets 23, which brackets in turn are pivoted upon a shaft 24, which passes through downwardly extending flanges 25. When the wheels 22 are in the lower position, the member 23 abuts against a stop 26, and the wheels 22 are then in position to support the base frame A and to permit it to be rolled transversely across the floor of the car. Also, these wheels are effective for transporting the base frame when it is outside of the car, the base frame in such case being rolled in wheelbarrow fashion.

During the actual use of the device, when the base frame is in position in the car, the wheels 22 are not in use, and the wheels 6 serve as the entire support for the base frame A. In order to permit the wheels 22 to be swung into and out of position, I may employ any suitable jack means generally indicated as at 28 for manually raising and lowering one end of the base frame A. The base frame is shown as raised by the jack in Fig. 12. When so raised the wheels 22 may easily be moved into or out of supporting position.

When the base frame A has been moved into the par in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 12, the jack has been lowered to the hori zontal position in which it is shown, for example, in Fig. 5, and the wheels 22 have been previously moved into the inoperative position in which they are shown. for example in Fig. 3, the'upper frame, generally indicated as B. and which will later be described in detail, is rotated in relation to the main or base frame A. for example. into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 13, or in any other suitable position in which it does not project outwardly into the door aperiii) mounted on the side frame members I.

springs adapted to engage the exterior of the car.

, The members 32 have also abutting lugs 36 which engage the inside of the edge of the door aperture. They are out of alignment with the guide members 38, 3|. The members 34, which are shown as hollow and slidable on the members 33,.may be manually moved to the proper position, and then bind because they are outwardly cut away as at 31, to form a locking edge 38, which engages and bites into the bars 33 when the members 34 are tilted by the springs The thrust of the springs 35 therefore serves to hold the parts in position, and the guide members 30, 3| are held at the proper elevation by the abutment of the bottoms of the members 32 against the car floor. The guide members 30, 3| are at the general height of the base frame A and are adapted to be engaged by guiding end rollers 40 mounted on any suitable bracket structures 4|, which in turn are mounted on racks 42, the inner ends of which are guided by any suitable guiding means, such as the members 43, and the side strap 44, as shown in Fig. 4, They may be locked in position by a toothed abutment which is secured to the side frame member The racks 42 are tiltable for the purpose of adjustment in relation to the teeth 45, and-when properly adjusted, they are locked against tilting movement by any suitable locking pins 46, on a spring thrust plate 41, mounted on a bolt 48 and normally held in position by any suitable spring 49. The brackets 4| are so adjusted as to cause the wheels 40 to abut against the opposite sides of the car and also against the guide members 30, 3|, which lie in the plane of the side of the car. Thus the base frame as a whole may be moved from end to end of the car and is guided against transverse movement in relation to the car by the rollers 40, which abut against the sides of the car and against the guides 30, 3|.

The upper or tilting frame B is mounted upon the base frame A by means of a carriage assembly generally indicated as 50. The carriage includes a plate 5| having at each corner a boss 52 supporting a flanged roller 53. These four flanged rollers 53 ride upon the upper flanges of the side frame members of the base frame A. In the center of each side of the plate there is a depending boss 54, which carries a roller 55 engaging the lower face of the top flange of the side frame member I, as shown for example in Fig. 9. Thus the carriage plate 5| may be slid or rolled from end to end of the base frame, but it cannot be tilted out of its normal horizontal plane.

In-order to lock the carriage in relation to the base frame A, I provide a square rotatable bar 56 which is mounted on the angle members 3 of the main frame A, in the bearings 51. It is provided with a plurality of U-shaped locking elements 58 located at spaced intervals upon the bars 55. Each of these elements is provided with riage plate 5|.

an'upwardly extending stop 59 adapted torengage a slotted lockingllug till, which extends outwardly from the carriage plate 5|. :Some of the members 58 are'provided with outwardly'extending actuating members 61, which may be engaged, for example, by'the foot of the operator inorder to rotate the shaft '56 and thereby move the stop 59 out of lockingengagemenrwith the lug '50, thereby permitting longitudinal movement of the carriage 50 along the base frame A until it again locked.

Any suitable springs-2 (see Fig. 3) may :be provided for tending normally to rotate theshaft 56 into locking'position. I may also provide 'airotatable latch 63, as shown for example in Figs. 1 and 6; which may be rotated into position 'to hold the square shaft 56 in unlocked position. The latch 63 is shown in Fig. l rotated into inopera tive position. When it is desired to lock the carriage 50 in an intermediate position between the The locking pin may beheaded, as at 56a, and

has

the carpenetrate locking apertures 9| in a locking segment 92, mounted on the appropriate block 8'4. Mounted on the shaft 85 are bearings 193 which serve to carry theactuating superstructure below is normally held in inoperative position when the head or ring is rotated insuch position as to engage a stop 68. The'pin 66 is normally held in inoperative position as shown in Fig. 9. If it is rotated to turn the ring 56a fiatwise to the stop 58, the pin may then be dropped into one of the apertures 65. 59 .is a closure or cover plate associated with the. angle 64 and I is a similar but 'un'apertured angle at the opposite edge of the plate 59. The angles and plate rest on or are se cured to the transversely extending frame mem hers 2 of the base frame A. The carriage 50 may be pushed by hand to the desired position :and then locked by one of the above described means.

Rotatably mounted above the plate is an upper plate or turntable I1, to which may be welded the .king pin I2, which passes downwardly through the plate 5| and through a reinforc ing member I3. Any suitable bearing means for the king pin are indicated as at I l, and a bearing ring I5 is interposed between the plates 5| and II. In order to lock the upper plate I I at any desired position in relation to the lower plate 5|, I provide apertures I6 inthe lower plate 5|,

for example, three at each corner. Thus the turntable would be locked at each ninety-degree angle of arc of movement. The extra apertures serve to provide the necessary angle for'taking ofthe corners in the car; V

Mounted on the upper plate. TII is a sleeve II which carries a plunger I8 adapted to penetrate care the apertures IS. The punger has an eye I9 at 84 which are apertured, rotatably to receive discs 85, to both of which is eccentrically fixed a shaft 86. On the outside of one of the discs 85 is mounted an actuating handle or lever 01', as

shown for example in Fig. 3, which may have a shown for example in Fig. 6. -I may provide,

described.

Upwardly extending .from the bearings is the transversely extending bar 94. Secured to this bar 94 are side frame members or channels 95 connected by transverse frame members 95-and constituting, ineffe'ct, a tiltable boom. The boom carries at oneend an adjustable counterweight structure 91. At the opposite end andsecured to two of the transversely extending frame members 96 is a bearing sleeve 98, which carries any :suitable shaft 99. At'one'end of the shaft .is a plate I00, upon which is mounted any suitable bearing block or :sleeve IOI in which is rotatably mounted a cutter shaft I02, the outwardly extendingend of which is shown in Fig.2. At the lower end the shaft carries any suitable cutter head I 03. At

the upper end of the shaft I02 is any suitabledriving pulley I04, about which pass one or more belts I05, which in turn pass about a drive pulley der to tilt or adjust the axis of rotation of the cutter head I03. This adjustment may be effected by a securing bar I I2 secured to one end of-the shaft 99, and providedwith an upper end and with a pair of rollers or pins I l3, which err.-

gage opposite sides of the circular plate H4 on a sleeve II 5, 'which'is in screw-threaded relationship with a fixed screw-threaded bar, 116, secured to plates II'I on a superstructure which includes the upwardly extending supports H8 and the U-shaped top bar or handle member II 9. Thesleeve II5 may be rotated by any suitable hand wheel I20, which is held against, rotation in relation thereto. The rotation of the wheel I is effective to move the sleeve I I5 laterally along the screw-threaded rod H6, which effects atilt'ing of the barv I I2 and thus a rotation of the shaft 99 and aqcontrol of the axis of rotation of the cutter head I03. The bar H2 is held .inposition in relation to the sleeve I I5 by any suitable keeper member or book I 2|. In order to control the adjustment I provide anysui-table gauging means, including a pointer I22, opposed to graduations I23 on the sleeve II5. 'h-us the degree of inclination may be observed by the operator as he rotates the hand wheel I20 and ob tains his desired adjustment.

The cutter head, which is shown in some detail in Fig. 16, and which is secured to the lower end of the cutter shaft 102, ncludes a central hub structure I having outwardly extending ribs I26, with connecting orreinforcing webs H31, which are former-l integrally with floor-engaging portions or shoes I28. Cutter bits or knives L29 having cutting edges I at top and bottom there'- of for purposes ofreversal are removably secure to the ribs I 26 by means of removable supporting blocks I3I, clamping members 13-2, and securing bolts |33,'Which pass through the ribs I26. 7 The bottom of the member I3I isshownas inthe 3 h ayndh'old portion 88 at the top. Any looking member 139 may be employed, controlled by a handle .90, and including a lower end adapted to same plane as the bottom of the'ground-engaging shoes I28, but the lower or operative edge of the bit I29 extends somewhat therebelow. The knives are shown as narrow and may be located, if desired, at various distances from the center of the cutter I03 to prevent ridging if the cutter is moved across the car too fast. It will be the upper plate II by any suitable intermediate supporting structure generally indicated as I43. The jack body proper is indicated at I44. It is provided with a laterally extending upwardly turned hook I45, which extends beneath the V-shaped strap or bracket I46, the lower ends of which are secured to. the side frame members 95 of the boom. Thus when the jack is expanded the hook I45 tilts the boom bodily about the axis of the shaft 86. The boom rests gravitally upon the hook I45. Any suitable actuating means for the hydraulic jack may be employed.

I illustrate, however, any suitable controlling handles I41 and I48. I find it advantageous, however, to employ the jack controls as means also for controlling the motor I2, which moves the base frame along the car. I illustrate, therefore, a connecting lever I50 which may be actuated by a bodily rotation of the jack body itself about its axis. It has adjustabll l secured to it a connecting link I5I, which engages the switch arm I52 on a switch housing I53, which may be mounted in any suitable manner on the superstructure, including the members H8 and H9. It will be understood that the switch is effective to stop, start and reverse the motor I2, whereby the base framemay be moved along the floor of the car and stopped at any desired position.

It will be observed that the control handles of the jack are located in convenient relation to the adjusting wheel I20 for the convenience of the operator. Any suitable switch means, not herein shown, may be employed for controlling the motor I01.

It will "be realized that, whereas I have described and shown a practical method and the means for carrying it out, the method may be carried out with a variety of mechanisms and with a substantial variation in details and order of steps. I, therefore, wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I have described a method for finishing or refinishing floors. Without wishing to be restricted to any specific use of my method, it will be observed that my invention may be advantageously used in re-finishing freight car fioors. Freight car floors are prevailingly made of rather heavy planking, the individual planks or boards extending transversely across the freight car and being secured with bolts along the ends and along the central portions, as illustrated at 202 in Fig. 13. Freight car floors are subjected to heavy use, and the surface may become damaged or uneven, or may be covered with or impregnated with material which is damaging to the goods shipped thereafter. For example, flour or more or less adhesive substances, oil and the like, may cover or penetrate the plank surface. After a certain degree or time of use, the floor becomes unusable,

efficiently resurfacing the freight car floor, without the necessity of removing and replacing the boards.

It will be realized, of course, that my invention may be applied to other uses and the same mech- .anism or a variation thereof may be employed to re-finish any planked surfaces, such as board walks, docks, decks, shipping sheds, storage sheds, or bins, and the like, and I do not wish that my claims be limited specifically to car floor re-finishing, except so far as specifically so limited by their language. It will be understood also that, where I have talked primarily in terms of refinishing a floor, my method may be applied to a finishing of new floors where rough or uneven planking is employed, or where depressions, such as those shown in Figs. 17 and 18, exist.

Referring to the drawings, and considering my invention as applied to a car, the car floor is indicated at 200. It may be formed of a plurality of individual boards or the like. Normally these boards are secured to the under structure 20I of the car by bolts 202 at the ends of the boards, and also generally along the centers of the boards. This securing arrangement will be clear from Fig. 12. When the floor is to be finished or refinished, the center bolts 202 are removed, while the outer bolts along the wall of the car may be left in place. The end bolts along the door aper-' ture may also be removed, as is indicated in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the device the bolts are first removed as above described, and the entire assembly is then inserted through one of the doors, the rollers 22 being employed for rolling it in. Thereafter the jack 28 is employed to tilt the base frame A, and the supporting wheels 22 are then moved into the inoperative position. The jack 28 is then moved to inoperative position, andthe base frame is supported at each end upon the supporting wheels 8. The guards or guides for the doors, including the bars 30, 3I, are then positioned in place in the plane of the inner face of the car walls and at the level of the guiding wheel or wheels 40 of the base frame A. The members M are adjusted to provide the proper clearance, and the base frame is then ready to be moved longitudinally along the length of the car to any desired position.

It will be well to consider the operation of the cutter as such. It will be understood that the cutter is generally vertically axised, as shown for example in Fig. 10, and includes a vertical shaft I02, which may be rotated for example through the pulley I04 and the belts I05. It is characteristic of the cutter and of its operation that it is permitted to rest upon the floor,and

in effect floats on the old floor surface. As will i be seen, for example in Fig. 16, the toes or outward projections I20 ride on the old surface and 'not' .merelysupport. the cutter as a wholerbut operator can cut a beveled surface, for example I along the side of the car, in order to, miss the bolts 202. This bevel or taper is. illustrated, for

xample, in'Fig. 11,. This tilting alsopermitscut ting or trimming unevennesses in the fioorlto care, for example for such depressions as are shown at 205 in Figs. 1'7 and 18. Where such a depression exists the operator may somewhat tilt the axis of the cutter and trim off the sharp edges of the depression to make a more gradual declivity, as shown for example in dotted line in Fig. 18.

Assume that the base is moved first to one end of the car, as shown in Fig. 13. A convenient way of employing the device then is to cut a path from end to end of the car at each side thereof to provide a level support for. the wheels 6. After the cutting head has been appropriately adjusted with the axis of the shaft I02 vertical, the cutting is done by bodily moving the base frame A frdm end to end of the car by means of the motor I 2 while the cutter is rotating. The result is to cut a plane path almost from end to end'of the car. shown by the arrows in Fig. 13, leaving the opposite end for later finishing when the boom is moved to the reverse or dotted line position.

After the side paths have been cut, the operator then adjusts the boom at various steps or positions along the base frame and moves the base frame from end to end of the car, finishing the .car floor in successive longitudinal strips or cuts, Thereafter the operator may reverse the boom to put the cutter head in the dotted line position of Fig. 13, and he then similarly finishes the opposite or unfinished end of the car. This finishes all of the car fioor except the edges.

The edges may be beveled either during or after the above described operation, by tilting the axis of the cutter shaft I02 through rotation of the wheel I20 and the consequenttilting of the lever H2. This tilting of theaxis of the cutter head enables the operator to out a beveled finish at the caredges and to miss the end bolts 202, as indicated in Fig. 11.

An advantageous procedure is to bevel the surface of the car floor downwardly and inwardly between the bolts which secure the ends of the boards as at 202 and the initially cut guiding strips or side paths. Thus any abrupt change of level is prevented and a reasonably smooth floor surface is provided without the necessity of removing the end bolts 202 and without any damage to the tool.

It will be understood, of course, that the order of these various steps may be varied to suit the convenience of the operator. It will also be understood that the extreme .end portions of the boards adjacent the wall are left unfinished in order to miss the securing bolts.

In order to get the cutter head into the corners, the boom may be adjusted at various angular positions by means of the plunger 18 and the aperture 16. One such position for cutting as It will go to one end completely, as

close as: possible an; axis. to the corner is shown at the leftend. of Fig. I4. g

In order to finish the door spaces it is neces sary to take one of the roller supports 4|? off, as shown in Fig. 15, the dobr spaces being finished one atza time, and-the boom being moved to the appropriate position.

Where the originab boards are worn or broken sufficiently to require replacement, new boards maybe-put: in either before or after the general finishing process. If they are put in before the finishing, they are smoothed down even with the rest. in the course of the general finishing.

If they are put in afterwards, the, cutter head isset to. the level of the restof the floor and the boards are cut down. I

It: will be understood that the rotation of the eccentric '85 is effective. bodily to raise and lower the boom as a whole. Since the cutter head as a whole rests on the floor by means of the shoes I28, this raising or lowering of the boom is effective slightly to tilt the axis of the cutter head.

It will be understood, of course, that the cuttel-heads as a whole are readily replaceable, that the individual knives are readily replaceable, are reversible, and are easily sharpened. In practice I find that a crew of two, or at the most three, men can finish off a car floor in an hour. One man operates the machine, one man sharpens the knives, and ifnecessary a third man may sweep, keeping shavings away from the wheel tracks. My cutter canhit nails or bolts without hurting the cutter as a whole. It rests on the old floor and limits the depth to which the blades can cut. The depth can be adjusted by merely adjusting the penetration of the lower edge .of the blades or knives below the bottom surfaces of the outward projections or toes I28.

My cutter head has the exceedingly important feature that it takes but a few minutes to change the knives in a head. A new set of knives can be sharpened and placed in the head for example, each time the cutter is moved to a new car. In practice I may employ, for example, six knives, each 7/ wide, to be sharpened each time so that it is necessary to sharpen only about 5 of steel. This constitutes an enormous-advantage over the use of a planer type of cylinder, for ex ample, and a cut of the same width would require two 16" steel blades, which would have to be sharpened with great accuracy.

It will be understood, of course, that the car floors are uneven and sag both longitudinally and across the car, and even when the central bolts are removed, the bolts along the edge of the car have to be left, and occasional boltsmay be missed. If my cutter strikes a bolt, the knives will not be seriously dulled or broken and will remain as efiective as ever. It is important to note that under such circumstances no knife breakage occurs and the work of the cutter will continue satisfactorily and effectively veven though an occasional bolt-or other metal objects may have protruded into the path of the cutter.

I claim:

1. The method of finishing a worn freight car floor formed of transversely extending boards with securing means at the ends of the boards and intermediate the ends of the boards, which includes initially removing the securing means located intermediate the ends of the boards while ing strips adjacent the opposite long sides of the cars, said guiding strips being generally parallel with said car sides and located near but inwardly of said end securing means, said strips lying, when finished, at generally the same level, 'employing said guiding strips as supports for the cutter for use in further recutting therest of the floor, cutting a series of parallel strips between the guiding strips until the area has been cut down to the desired level, and bevelling the surface of the car floor downwardly and inwardly between said end securing means and the outer edges of the initially cut guiding strips.

2. The method of refinishing a worn out freight car floor formed of transversely extending boards with securing means at the ends of the boards, and having depressions in the floor surface located in the area between said end securing means, which includes initially cutting guiding strips along the opposite long sides of the car adjacent and parallel with the car sides and within said area, and lying in substantially the same horizontal plane, employing said guiding strips as supports for the cutter for use in connection with further recutting the rest of the floor, cutting the surface of said rest of the floor to a predetermined and substantially horizontal plane, to provide a generally flat surface lower than the original surface of the car floor, beveling the surface of the car floor downwardly and inwardly between said end securing means and the outer edges of the initially cut guiding strips, and, in the event that the car floor has depressions which extend below the new surface, and bevelling the edges of said depressions and thereby eliminating sharp edges. HENRY H. TALBOYS. 

